Windshield heater



Dec. 18, 192s. 1,696,121

D. D. SAPPENFIELD ET AL WINDSHIELD HEATER Filed Sept. 23, 1927 Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

' 'UNITED STATES l1,696,127 PATENT OFFICE.

DEVEBE D. SAPPENFIELD AND FRED4 M. SHEETS, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

WINDSHIELD HEATER.

Application filed September 23, 1927. Serial No. 221,544.

Our present invention` has reference to a simple and thoroughly eective device for heating the windshield of automobiles, street cars and like vehicles to prevent the accumulation of frost or snow thereon, so that the driver of the vehicle will have a clear vision of conditions ahead of his machine and thereby obviate any liability of accidents incident to an obscure windshield.

A further object is the provision of a heater for this purpose which includes a box-like member having a corrugated face to rest against the windshield and having compressible strips on such face to prevent -injury to the wind shield, together with means 'for heating the interior of the body and thereby creating currents of hot air which will be directed over the entire surface of thewindshield.

A still further object is the provision of a heater for windshields of automobiles or like vehicles in which means is provided for circulating heat throughout the entire -body of the heater, means being provided for regulating or shutting off the heat from the body of the device, together with means for effectively supporting the device upon the windshield.

To the attainment of the above broadly stated objects and others which will present themselves as the nature of the invention is better understood, the improvement also resides in certain other novel features of construction, combination and operative association of parts, one satisfactory embodiment of which is disclosedl by the accompanying drawings. v

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail sectional view through the forward portion of an automobile to illustrate the application of our improvement thereon.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the body of the improvement with the face plate removed.

Figure is a horizontal sectional view approximately on the line 3 3 of Figure 2, with the face plate or cover in place.

Figure 4 is a sectional view approximately on the line 4--4 of Figure 2, showing the device arranged against the windshield.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view approximately on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a face view of the improvement.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the improvement with the face or cover plate removed and the same provided with an electric heatmg coil as when the device is to be employed on railway or similar vehicles. Y

In Figure l of the drawings, we have illustrated our Windshield heater applied to the windshield of an automobile. The forward portion of the automobile is indicated by the numeral l, the windshield by the numeral 2 and the steering post column by the numeral 3. The met-al box-like body fl of the heater has its outer face corrugated vertically, as at 5, throughout the length thereof, and in the end grooves provided by these corrugations or if vdesired in other recesses there are arranged compressible strips 6. The strips/ are in direct contact with the inner face of the windshield 2 so that the improvement will inflict no injury to the said windshield.

Integrally formed with the box-like member 4- there is a central vertically directed partition 7 which extends from the bottom to a point a suitable distance from the .top of the said member 4 and integrally formed with the said member 4 there are horizontal partitions 8 extending laterally from the partitions 7 and terminating adjacent to the ends of the hollow body 4. These partitions provide baile plates so that the heat currents will be directed entirely around the interior of the body 4. The body 4t has its outer face closed by a removable cover plate 9.

The under face of the body, at the center thereof, is formed with a depending boss 10- and passing through openings in this boss at the o posite sides of the partition 7 thereis a exible heat inlet pipe 11 and a flexible heat outlet pipe 12. Between the pipes 11 and 12 the boss 10 is formed with a depending arm 13 which has on its outer end the xed member 14`of the clamp, the removable member of the clamp being indicated by the numeral `15. The elements constituting the clamp have their edges formed with outstanding ears so that after the clamp is arranged around the steering post column 34 the removable section 15 thereof may be compressed against the fixed section 14 by the adjustable and removable securing means 16 for the clamp sections. ln this manner it will be seen that the body o the heating device may be properl arranged 4for contacting engagement wit the inner face of the windshield.

'liie flexible eine ll is designed to be connested to elle exlaeust manifold for the engine 'tbe automobile l., and the passage through this pipe ccntolled by a hand operated rllie pipe 1Q- is directed to the atmosniiee. I

' e beat let ino the hollow body d may be readily regulated by adjusting the valve 17 ends Course3 by closing this valve the heat is prevented from entering the valve. By provid JLe bie-Ee plates in tbe body the e be circulated entirely therethrough nding en exit through the pipe 1G f 3' la 'tbe inner face of the body ons heated air will be did over the entire face of A"lf-:ld se that, accumulations of frost 'ndsliield will be thus effectively 5 the Construction is Snbstantiret previously described edy 4 is not nrovided with f 8 and there is arranged i a d connected to the end walls n eater eeil 18 Wired to a suitable l -eetrieity 19 and the said Wires bevision of the conditions ahead.

lied ey a switch 20. This type o @vement 1s designed for use upon Leeeiev the Windshields of street cars and like vehicles.

Havingl described the invention, we claim:

l. A Windshield heater comprising n hollow body having one of its faces corrugated and leaving compressible strips frictionally received inftlie end eorrugations and extending therethrough for contacting with tbe inner face of a windshield, means supporting the body, and means for directing beat through tbe body.

A beating device lor Windshields comprising a liollow'body having one of its faces corrugated vertically, eompressible strips seated in tbe end eorrugations and designed te contact with the inner face-of a Windshield, adjustable supporting means for the body, a removable cover plate for the inner face of the body, vertical and horizontal baille plates in the body, valve controlled means :for di resting heat into the body adjacent one side of tbe lower vertical baille plate and means adjacent to the second side of the baille plate providingr an exit for the heat.

In testimony whereof We aix our signatures.

DEVERE D. SAPPENFIELD. FRED M. SHEETS. 

